Like Rain on Parked Cars, Chapter 22 – Urban Poverty in America
Emerald and Diamond Necklace by Cartier, Source https://www.flickr.com, Author thisisbossi, (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
There are few happy endings.
Nearing forty, Aretha is today the mother of two sons, the younger boy autistic. Neither son is in contact with his father. Jonathan’s father is incarcerated. The younger boy’s father is disinterested, though he does pay court ordered child support.
A psychiatric aide throughout her working life, Aretha has faithfully served those suffering from mental health issues of every kind.
For little more than minimum wage, she has sat with the friendless, comforted the despairing, and fed the elderly no longer able to care for themselves. She has changed soiled bed linens, and wiped up vomit — bringing her own cleaning supplies from home to disinfect patient rooms during the Covid-19 crisis.
Ironically, obtaining access to the special education supposedly guaranteed Aretha’s younger son by the state has been nearly impossible for her.
Because of cancer, Aretha, herself, now lives on Social Security Disability. Keeping the wolf from the door is a constant challenge, as is the battle with government bureaucracy and insurance company red tape.
Again in Philadelphia after a brief foray into the suburbs, Aretha cannot always manage to cover the mortgage on the row house she purchased here. This places her at continual risk of foreclosure. Because of a meager cost of living increase to her disability benefit, her household food stamp (SNAP) allotment was recently reduced from a ludicrous $11/month to zero. She had to go months without her cancer medication.
Despite all this (and innumerable other obstacles), Aretha has for the past 20 years continued to pursue a biology degree. She remains short of her goal.
Some classes Aretha failed or abandoned in favor of work. Those had to be taken again (at additional cost). At least one school she attended went under. More than once credits could not be transferred, when she changed schools. Due to the passage of time and changes in curriculum over which she had no control, some credits Aretha originally earned are no longer eligible toward a degree.
The effort has left Aretha with more than $50,000 in student loan debt.
Having seen his mother’s struggles, Jonathan is pursuing a career in the military.
Tyrell died after years spent as an addict on the streets.
Poverty in America
In cities across this country, there are children like Jonathan and Tyrell. Each day that passes, they spend another day of their lives in poverty. Each day another generation is being lost.
According to the US Census Bureau, 35.9 million people in America live below the poverty level [1]. Of those 11.9 million are children [2]. The figures do not take into account children in foster care, prisoners, the elderly in nursing homes, those living in military housing, or the homeless not in shelters.
Hunger in America
I could cite other statistics.
- According to a 38-city study by the US Conference of Mayors in 2016, emergency kitchens and food pantries in 47% of the cities surveyed had to reduce the quantity of food persons could receive at each visit and/or the amount of food offered per meal [3A]. That was before the Covid-19 pandemic which placed additional strain on such facilities.
- In 29% of the cities surveyed, emergency kitchens and food pantries had to reduce the number of times a person or family could visit each month [3B].
- About 13.8% of emergency food requests went unmet because of a lack of resources, and people were turned away [3C].
According to the Bread for the World Institute, the nation’s largest network of food banks, more than 40 million Americans (including 12 million children) live with hunger on a daily basis [4][5].
Feeding America, the nation’s largest network of food banks, reports that over 23 million men, women, and children rely on its services [6A]. Some 36% have to choose between buying food and paying for housing [6B].
Unwed Mothers/Absent Fathers
By 2015, 77.3% of African American women giving birth were unmarried (as compared with a national rate of 39.8% across all racial and ethnic lines in 2022) [7][8].
The studies on father absence are too numerous to discuss here [9].
Suffice it to say that absence has been linked to earlier sex, higher rates of pregnancy, and higher divorce rates among the children of absent fathers. It has been shown a driving factor behind poverty, drugs, crime, illiteracy, Welfare reliance, and homelessness.
A Personal Stake
I heard a woman from one of our more affluent suburbs comment about the survival of Philadelphia, “I don’t feel I have a personal stake.” She could not have been more wrong.
We all of us have a personal stake. These are our children. White, black, brown, red, yellow or any combination, these are our children. We cannot relegate them to the ash heap.
Not only do they have inherent value, there is an associated cost — a cost in lost earnings and productivity; in lost talent and ideas; in increased burden on public assistance; and in increased burden on law enforcement, state and federal judicial systems, and penal systems nationwide.
Extravagance
Our society celebrates extravagance.
We have television programs about the sale of multi-million dollar homes, and the lives of the famous or would-be famous. We have programs which showcase remodeling projects that run into six or seven figures, and houses so choked with material goods that their owners seek out professional help.
- In 2004, the country singer, Alison Krauss, wore $2 million shoes studded with 565 platinum-set diamonds to the Academy Awards [10].
- In 2014, the combined cost of the dress and jewelry actress, Cate Blanchett, wore to the Academy Awards was estimated at $18.5 million [11].
- In 2019, a flat iron costing $1 million was used to style hair at the Miss Universe Contest [12]. The appliance was encrusted with over six thousand flawless diamonds.
- A 24kt gold dress was created just to promote Magnum Ice Cream [13].
Chocolate studded with edible gold and diamonds currently sells for around $2600/lb [14]. Another self-important chocolate brand identifies itself by “vintage” year.
Facial powder with 24kt gold flakes can be purchased, as can spa treatments followed by a sprinkling of gold dust (championed for supposed “anti-aging effects”) [15][16].
Entertainment
We willingly spend thousands on choice seats at concerts and sporting events [17][18]. Meanwhile, the woman at the checkout counter $10 short on Food Stamps causes an intolerable delay to those standing behind her on line.
“Haves” and “Have Nots”
The disparity between “haves” and “have nots” has grown to grotesque proportions. Rather than nauseated by this, we are becoming inured to it.
We are, after all, entitled. Those who fail to break out of poverty and all it entails, those crushed under the wheel, simply did not try hard enough or were “ungrateful” for the scant assistance extended them. So we believe.
It is more comfortable to insulate ourselves against the truth.
Real Beauty
Take one instance. Americans spend some $89.7 billion annually on cosmetics, wrinkle creams, and other potions, along with a further $16.5 billion on cosmetic procedures [19][20A].
That totals more than three times what the United Nations estimates would be needed annually to curb the AIDS epidemic in Africa by 2030, saving millions of lives [21].
If just a third of the 313,735 American women who have breast implants each year decided to forego vanity in favor of something more lasting than all those bags of salt water and jelly, they would have some $400 million at their disposal with which to create something of real beauty [20B].
Divine Judgment
God’s love for the poor has not diminished. If nothing is done, there will assuredly be a reckoning. It may not come in the form of class warfare, as some predict and others desire [22]. But it will come. And no amount of wealth will be able to purchase a reprieve.
—
[1] US Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2022” by Emily Shrider and John Creamer, 9/12/23, https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-280.html.
[2] Poverty USA, “Poverty Facts – The Population of Poverty in the USA”, https://www.povertyusa.org/facts.
[3A, 3B, and 3C] National Alliance to End Homelessness, “US Conference of Mayors – Hunger and Homelessness Survey”, February 2017, https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/US-Conference-of-Mayors-Report-on-Homelessness-and-Hunger_Final.pdf.
[4] Bread for the World, “Hunger in the US – Why Are US Families Hungry?”, https://www.bread.org/hunger-explained/hunger-in-the-u-s/.
[5] Feeding America, “Map the Meal Gap 2024”, https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/MMG%202024%20Executive%20Summary%20%281%29.pdf.
[6A and 6B] Learning to Give, “America’s Second Harvest”, https://www.learningtogive.org/sites/default/files/handouts/Americas_Second_Harvest.pdf.
[7] Wikipedia, “African-American family structure”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_family_structure.
[8] Statista, “Percentage of births to unmarried women in the United States from 1980 to 2022”, https://www.statista.com/statistics/276025/us-percentage-of-births-to-unmarried-women/.
[9] Children’s Bureau, “A Father’s Impact on Child Development”, 5/12/23, https://www.all4kids.org/news/blog/a-fathers-impact-on-child-development/.
[10] Index Online, “Singer Gets a Lift from $2 Million Shoes at Oscars” by Albert Robinson, 3/3/01, http://www.idexonline.com/FullArticle?Id=22231.
[11] The Hollywood Reporter, “Cate Blanchett’s Oscars Outfit Cost $18.1 Million” by Stephanie Chan, 3/17/14, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/cate-blanchetts-oscars-outfit-cost-689178/.
[12] CHI, “What would make a woman never want to wash her hair again? How about a hairstyle created with 6000 flawless, non-conflict diamonds”, 10/1/21, https://chimalta.com/chis-million-dollar-diamond-lava-styling-iron-takes-center-stage-at-2019-miss-universe/.
[13] Time, “Here’s What a $1.5 Million, 24-Karat Gold Dress Looks Like” by Kristene Quan, 4/23/13, https://style.time.com/2013/04/23/zac-posen-designs-a-24k-gold-dress-valued-at-1-5-million/.
[14] Gitnux, “Statistics about the Most Expensive Chocolates in the World”, 2/7/24, https://gitnux.org/most-expensive-chocolates-in-the-world/.
[15] Jane Iredale, “Gold Shimmer Powder”, https://janeiredale.com/products/24-karat-gold-dust.
[16] Robb Report, “7 Gold-Infused Spa Treatments that Will Make You Look Like a Million Bucks” by Keith Flanagan, https://robbreport.com/travel/spas/slideshow/7-gold-infused-spa-treatments-that-will-make-you-look-like-a-million-bucks/.
[17] AS, “What do the most expensive VIP tickets for Taylor Swift’s concert at Wembley in London include?” by Andy Hall, 8/15/24, https://en.as.com/entertainment/what-do-the-most-expensive-vip-tickets-for-taylor-swifts-concert-at-wembley-in-london-include-n-2/#:~:text=However%2C%20Taylor%20Swift%20has%20not,only%20available%20at%20select%20venues.
[18] CBS News, “Want 2024 World Series tickets? Here’s how much they cost.” by Megan Cerullo, 10/25/24, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2024-world-series-dodgers-yankees-ticket-prices/.
[19] HelpLama, “Beauty Industry Revenue and Usage Statistics 2023”, April 2024, https://helplama.com/beauty-industry-revenue-usage-statistics/.
[20A and 20B] American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “Americans Spent More than $16.5 Billion on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery in 2018”, 4/10/19, https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/americans-spent-more-than-16-billion-on-cosmetic-plastic-surgery-in-2018.
[21] UN AIDS, “A Triple Dividend: Fully financing the HIV response in Africa”, 4/12/23, https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2023/april/20230412_a-triple-dividend.
[22] The Hill, “America is in a class war, not a race war” by Chris Talgo, 8/27/20, https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/514024-america-is-in-a-class-war-not-a-race-war/.
Copyright © 2010 – Present Anna Waldherr. All rights reserved.
Originally posted 8/3/14 and 9/21/14
as All Our Children and Extravagance
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
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A Lawyer's Prayers 
There is plenty wealth and resources to go around, but in places like Africa, elsewhere, and America it is wrongly distributed and misused. It is terrible.
Mass repentance is needed for robbing the poor, throwing around resources in an unfair, inefficient way.
It is important that we as individuals help our neighbors in the best ways that we can.
Also, the bigwigs need to get it together and make sure funds and all resources are distributed properly but that hasn’t been happening.
In addition, father absenteeism & neglect is just about the biggest problem in America as well as other nations.
When fathers fail to be the present, protective providing leaders for their families that they should be in their homes, they wreck their families and consequently wreck societies.
Mothers play roles too, but fathers are designed by God to be leaders and things get out of order when they fail and it causes everything else to fail.
This is exactly why I warn and inform young women the way I do about love and relationships. Only God’s way works out well.
So right, Petrina. As you say, repentance is needed for robbing the poor.
Es ist extrem traurig, dass so viele Kinder und Erwachsene in Armut leben müssen und nicht wissen, wie sie ihr Leben geregelt bekommen. Amerika gilt als “reiches Land”, aber das gilt nur für wenige. Wenn jeder etwas abgeben würde, könnte die Not etwas gelindert werden. LG M.
Ich stimme zu, Marie. Aber dafür müsste Gott unsere Herzen aus Stein in Herzen aus Fleisch verwandeln. LG, A.
What’s gone wrong with the ‘Church’ at large, in the face of such need!? No different to the ‘world’?
So right, Erroll. Little wonder that Christ said the poor we would always have w/ us (Matt. 26: 11).
There are numerous ministries working to lessen poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, crime, human trafficking, and more. Some of them are highly successful. I pray that dollars wasted on ineffective government programs might be funneled their way. Wouldn’t it be beneficial to all if applicants with a proven track record could receive grants an broaden their influence? And what if their best-practice strategies were implemented by others? Even more positive outcomes could result. SO much more good could be accomplished!
I am not advocating for additional government programs, Nancy, but rather for more equitable treatment of the poor — inside government and out.
Theoretically, government programs are under an obligation to evaluate their own performance. All types of metrics are available for this purpose. What you propose would be ideal. In practice, however, bureaucracies tend to be self-perpetuating. There is little incentive for improvement.
This does not justify inertia. There are Christians employed throughout government. Some at least are in positions of power w/ the ability to implement new programs. Others have the capacity to act as whistleblowers. We as voters have the obligation to monitor how effectively our tax dollars are spent.
But one does not have to be employed by a government agency or faith-based NGO to serve the poor. Nor need does one have to be Christian, for that matter. Tragically, there are countless Christians who give little or no thought to the poor. Worse still, many take the attitude that the poor are responsible for their own circumstances, and deserve to stew in their own juices.
We can lobby. We can volunteer. We can donate. We can pray. We must, at a minimum, open our eyes to the need.
You humble us with your deep insights into the lives of the poor, Anna, and our worship of material wealth at the cost of forsaking those in need of material basics. I was taken aback by the cost of Alison Kraus’ shoes. Many of her Gospel songs I have often listened to. Now I can’t listen again without thinking of those shoes. Which is all to the good. Am I my sister’s, brother’s keeper? How we answer that question determines who or what we worship.
I am so proud of Aretha, her courage and persistence in spite of every obstacle including health. That she is the daughter of your heart I can well imagine. I will pray for her and Jonathan. How their hearts must grieve over Tyrell who died never receiving the help he needed. For a wealthy society such as ours with the resources at its disposal, it is a tragedy that should never have happened.
Thank you, Dora. Your prayers mean everything.
A sad and insightful post. You do so much for others, it’s really marvelous. Thanks for sharing; it’s important that people are made aware of the terrible challenged faced by others every day. 💜
I very much appreciate your good opinion. But you give me too much credit. As you say, the poor face terrible challenges on a daily basis. I wish there were more I could do. ❤
How about dads that pay alimony but the mothers refuse to allow them to visit their children just to be mean
I worked with a lot of men that went through Hell when they got divorced when a volunteer at a homeless shelter
You are right. There are all kinds of evil in this world.